20th Century Classics

Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

Possibly our favourite kangaroo book.

Picture book published by Jonathan Cape in 1980. Landscape 44 pages and an unusual construction in that every second page is a half page which creates a new image against the full pages … an interesting and amusing device. A pretty good copy.

Our little kangaroo has an idyllic home life but is carried away by a bird of prey … not for long he is rescued and looked after and soon recovered to his grateful family. Every page a vibrant image. Not said but clearly based in the more tropical parts of Australia.

Sylvie Selig was born in 1941 in France … her art cover a broad range of styles and her premium work is highly collectable … at the core is her vibrant imagination subtly bordering ion the surreal.

Collectable kangaroo with striking colourful illustrations.

$25.00

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The Nature of Crime – Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Hueffer (Ford) – First Edition 1924

An unusual novel the third and final collaboration between Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Ford. Originally written in 1909 but only published until June 1924 … Conrad was to die in August that year.

Published by Duckworth, London. Octavo, 119 pages, a short, pointed story. Preface by Conrad, one of the last things he penned. And, another Preface by Ford Madox Ford. Both particularly interesting writing about the effects of their collaboration [Conrad didn’t like Madox Ford’s choice of verbs]. A particularly good copy in a rather fine dust jacket.

Described by Conrad as a “Fragment” … it is a short read … we agree with Conrad’s conclusion that it is well honed and written to be read out loud for dramatic effect. They did this to each other in its crafting.

The unnamed protagonist tells his story through a series of letters to a love interest. The protagonist, a lawyer, has committed a crime, the embezzlement of trust funds over and extended period. He becomes more inwardly affected as time goes by … the letters become more frequent, and his deteriorating moral stance leads him downwards. Likely echoes difficult periods in Conrad’s early life and makes for a powerful intense drama.

An unusual novel from the Conrad / Madox Ford co-operative … when alone read out loud!

$40.00

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The Book and The Brotherhood – Iris Murdoch – First US Edition 1987

A first US edition of Iris Murdoch’s substantial and powerful novel published by Viking, New York in 1987.

Large octavo, 607 pages, printed on heavy stock paper, Complete dust jacket, with some sunning, very clean inside. A heavy book, would require an Overseas supplement. Very good condition.

A suspense novel with a romantic element, characters develop to a depth rarely achieved. Violence, passion, hatred, a duel and even murder have their place.

Iris Murdoch at the top of her game with The Brotherhood.

$25.00

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Without Malice – Bruce Graeme – First Edition 1946.

A seriously spooky crime story from Bruce Graeme … pen name for Graham Montague Jeffries (1900-1982) a much loved and much published crime author. Published his first work in 1926 and his last in 1980 two years before his death.

Published by Hutchinson, London in October 1946. Octavo, 164 pages so along the lines of an “entertainment” than a full blown novel. Dust Jacket art superb. Very good condition.

The main character Detective Sergeant Marsh has a rather unusual murder to solve and the murderer could not be more unusual.

Without Malice – well maybe!

$50.00

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A Fringe of Leaves – Patrick White – First Edition 1976

A very good copy of Patrick White’s novelisation of what was the shipwreck of the Stirling Castle and the subsequent death of all of the survivors except fro Mrs Fraser who would live among the aboriginal people until rescued by a convict tracker.

Published by Jonathan Cape, London in 1976. Octavo, 405 pages, super condition including the jacket. Sydney Nolan jacket art. White had received the Nobel Prize in 1973.

Nice copy of a collectable White edition based on Queensland survival fact.

$30.00

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The Canary Jacket – Ann Shead – First Edition 1968

First edition published by Collins, London and Sydney in 1968. A “novel of early Australia” by the distinguished author.

Octavo, 256 pages, a very good copy in a complete and clean dust jacket.

Australian author Ann Shead came from Cornish stock. This story start in Cornwall and smuggling which leads to transportation to New South Wales. The realities of life downunder for convicts bound out to serve a Master are to the fore of the narrative. Things do improve and the book ends pleasantly high and rewarding.

Convicts doing it tough but seeing it through in the end … the lucky ones in the Lucky Country.

$30.00

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Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

The Nature of Crime – Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Hueffer (Ford) – First Edition 1924

The Book and The Brotherhood – Iris Murdoch – First US Edition 1987

Without Malice – Bruce Graeme – First Edition 1946.

A Fringe of Leaves – Patrick White – First Edition 1976

The Canary Jacket – Ann Shead – First Edition 1968

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